Suburban women recoil as Trump dives into racial politics

[brooklynite]

AP

BROOKFIELD, Wis. (AP) — Carol Evans approves of Donald Trump’s immigration policy. She gives him credit for the strong economy. But the Republican from the affluent Milwaukee suburbs of Waukesha County, a GOP bedrock in the state, just can’t commit to voting for the president next year like she did in 2016.

“I just don’t like the way he talks about other people,” Evans, a 79-year-old retired data entry supervisor, said recently as she walked through a shopping mall in Brookfield, Wisconsin, days after Trump fired off a racist tweet at Democratic congresswomen.

The president’s recent return to racial politics may be aimed at rallying his base of white working-class voters across rural America. But the risks of the strategy are glaring in conversations with women like Evans.

Many professional, suburban women — a critical voting bloc in the 2020 election — recoil at the abrasive, divisive rhetoric, exposing the president to a potential wave of opposition in key battlegrounds across the country.

In more than three dozen interviews by The Associated Press with women in critical suburbs, nearly all expressed dismay — or worse — at Trump’s racially polarizing insults and what was often described as unpresidential treatment of people. Even some who gave Trump credit for the economy or backed his crackdown on immigration acknowledged they were troubled or uncomfortable lining up behind the president.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Sort of like having to endure a boor at a country club cocktail party . . . . .

[mercuryblues]

2. Women realize

that the racist, misogynist man they voted for is really, really, really racist & misogynistic. But still may vote for him.

I don't care what their excuses are for voting for him. It is just that...an excuse to cover their racism and misogyny. Yes, these are woman who think they are far superior to other women.

[SharonAnn]

25. They recognize that today he's railing about other races. Tomorrow he may be railing about women.

We know that once a man starts "labeling" others, we're somewhere in the line of "others" to be labeled and discriminated against.

[CentralMass]

3. He was the same sort of racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic asshole last election and they voted

for him.

[tblue37]

27. But now he isn't just saying the quiet part out loud. Now he is shouting it endlessly

from the rooftops, so it's harder to pretend you haven't heard him saying such things.

[Afromania]

4. So its ok to allude to racism, enact racist policies, platform on racism, etc but just being

Open about it is a bridge too far. Can't have people KNOWING they're racist or racist adjacent. I suppose it's good they figured out everything almost 5 years after the fact......... Better late than never., right???... Thanks, I guess.

[WePurrsevere]

17. Exactly. All of his other BS comments & actions and THIS is "a bridge too far"?

Were they blind, deaf and brain dead when they voted for him? I know most of his most avid followers get their need from the Faux News propaganda network but geesh.

[StarfishSaver]

24. They knew it before they voted for him

They didn't care.

Now they're just embarrassed that everyone knows they voted for a bigot.

[ebbie15644]

5. I'm sorry but these people, unless they specifically say they won't vote for him, will hold their

nose and they will vote for him. I wish they would just quit interviewing these "deplorables" and start interviewing the people that won't vote for him

[NewJeffCT]

7. suburban women voting against Trump

was a big part of flipping the House in 2018.

[ebbie15644]

15. But were they previous trump voters or people that didn't vote in the 2016 election?

Trump showed people in 2016 who he was and these people voted for him anyway. I don't think they are going to "suddenly" decide to vote for the dem candidate. In 2018 what data shows they "flipped" their vote? or does the data show that voters that hadn't voted before or in the last election came out and voted?

[NewJeffCT]

20. Trump was a scandal a day or more in 2015 and 2016

however, it was so overwhelming, that people forgot about the scandals from the day before and from two days ago. Last week's scandals were ancient history.

So, when voters went to the polls, they were weighing Hillary and the recent revelation from the Comey letter versus 300 or so scandals from Trump. The media made Hillary's one scandal bigger than the 300 scandals from Trump because everybody had become numb to all the Trump scandals.

[NewJeffCT]

6. This is why Tim Wise was correct last week

Make Trump's Racism and Misogyny the center of any campaign against him.

Campaign 1 against David Duke was where they hit him on every issue - politics and scandals. Democrats won by 10 points.
Campaign 2 focused on Duke's racism and KKK associations. Dem turnout skyrocketed and Duke lost by 22 points.

[lagomorph777]

8. Donny Deutsch says we have to exploit voter's fear - describe the Dystopia Trump is building.

He says we have to stop bringing spreadsheets to a gunfight.

[uponit7771]

9. Racial "politics"my ass, Trump's a racist ... He does what racist do no politics involved

[barbtries]

10. she's okay with him torturing brown children.

but ew! the way he talks. yucky

republicans. it's beyond me.

[ebbie15644]

16. This is why I believe she in fact will vote for trump again.

[barbtries]

19. i agree.

who are these people.

[colsohlibgal]

11. That Is Key

Many of the suburban women, particularly college educated ones, who voted for Pennywise last time may not n 2020.

[comradebillyboy]

12. Any polling to support that view or just a few ancedotal interviews?

Three dozen interviews does not a scientific poll make.

[CatMor]

13. She was also ok with trump ...

assaulting women, that he's a con and a crook. She didn't mind he is a bully and a liar. In her mind that was all OK because she thinks he brought a strong economy that.is actually Obama's. She doesn't seem to care much about morals. Doesn't seem too smart either.

[MaryMagdaline]

14. Please. As a suburban woman I know these Susan Collinses to a T.

Day after 2020 election, they’ll be telling me just how painful it was to vote Trump for yet a second time.

[Coventina]

18. So she's a racist that doesn't want to be outed as a racist.

Fuck her.

[Wounded Bear]

21. Sounds a bit like the "He's not as bad as my husband" defense...

I agree with the consensus, this woman sounds a lot like Sue Collins. "I'm really concerned about that, but..."

[GusBob]

22. Was skeptical as hell until I read thru

but unless they are lying about the "3 dozen interviews" there might be something there

It was what 53% of WW? doesn't take much to swing some votes or leave some at home

[StarfishSaver]

23. They knew he was a bigot when they voted for him last time

Me being not impressed:

[guillaumeb]

26. But that leads to the essential question: will these women vote for Trump?

Or are they the "Susan Collins" sub-group of concerned voters who claim to have issues, but support Trump anyway.